Traffic light



March 22, 1932. P D 1,850,897

TRAFFIC LIGHT v Filed Oct. '7, 1929' 2 Sheets-Sheet l mnmmm & W lllllllllllln Patented "22, 1932 PATENT OFFIC R1), 9H AKRON, omo

. Application macaw; 7, was. an Ito. seems.

This invention relates to improvements in trafic signals and has as its general object'to provide a signal which will-overcomecertain disadvantages attending the use of ordinary 5 trafic signals of the type embodying means for successively displaying stop, neutral, and go signals. Such signals present the disadvantage that the driver of an automobile approaching a street crossing and obw serving the go light has no way of determining whether he can reach and pass the crossing before the go signal is cut ofi, and the neutral and stop signals successively displayed. Ligkewise, pedestrians are unable 35 to determine whether or not they will haveample time to cross the street from one side- 1 walk to the other before a change in the signals takes place.

The present invention, therefore, contemplates the provisionof a traific signal by which pedestrians or drivers of automobiles and other vehicles may determine with a con siderable degree of certainty the period of time which will elapse before the signal is changed.

Another object of the inventionis to pro-' videa trafic signal ofthe type stated and possessing the advantagesset forth, which will present the further advantage, namel that the signal displays the difierent warnings at all four sides of the casing in which the signal mechanism is arranged, so that the corbe given ineach' of four di-..

rect signal may rections simultaneously;

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to

be hereinafter'fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out inthe appended claim.

erence. will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or' w the top removed.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional In describing my invention in detail, refyiew taken on the line 33 of Figure 21001:- m n the direction indicated by the arrows. igure 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the'direction indicated by the arrows. A

The signal embodying the invention may be mounted in any desired manner and comprises a casing, which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and which is substantially of cubical form except that the top of the casing is preferably pyramidal so as to prevent the accumulation of rain water on the said top. In each side wall of thecasing mounting the frame 3 within the opening 2 in the respective side wall, the 0 en side of the frame is presented outwar y and the frame is located substantially wholly within till Til

the casing. Radial division ieces 6 are ar by theedges of the flanges 4 and 5, and serve, in connection with the edges of the flanges 4 and 5 to support the sign panes of the signal, these panes being arranged in an annular series and certain of the panes, indicated by the numeral 7 as for example, six of the panes, being green in color and the other panes, as for example a series of six, indicated by the numeral 8, being red in color. 5

- Other panes, indicated by the numeral 9 are preferably yellow in color and apair of these panes is arranged between the relativel adacent ends of the series of panes 7 .an 8 as above shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The numeral 10 indicates a ring of insulating material, which is arran d within the bounds of the flange 5' of eac frame 3, and mounted within each frame, and at suitable intervals are electric lam bulbsockets 11,

these sockets being refera ly mounted in the V insulation 10, and 0 course insulated from the flange '5, by forming openings in the flange of larger diameter than the sockets or by any other suitable means. In the embodiment of the invnti'on shown in the drawings and more particularly in Figure 3, two lamp ranged to extend between an are supported the panes 8, the panes 9 of each two pair being illuminated by a single light bulb. In order to prevent the light rays from the bulbs associated with one series of panes passing to the panes of another group, opaque partitions,

preferably of sheet metal, indicated by the numeral 13 are arranged each between'the adjacent ends of two relatively ad3acent groups of panes, so that in effect the hollow frame 3 is divided into compartments equal in number to the number of groups of panes.

In conjunction with the circular series of sign panes and their respective sources of illumination, the invention contemplates the employment of a rotary pointer, which is indicated by the numeral 14 and to which rotary motion is continuously imparted, the pointer being mounted axially with respect to the annular series of panes and its indicating point slightly overlapping the panes in the rotative movement of the pointer as shown in Figure 1.

Inorder that rotary motion may be imparted simultaneously in uniformly timed relation, to the pointers 14, at allfour sides of the casing and likewise in order that the electric supply current may be successively closed thru the light bulbs in the several compartments of the frame 3, and likewise in order that the indicator pointers 14 may be simultaneously operated, means is provided which will now be described. The numeral 15 indicates a supporting structure which is mounted within the casing upon the bottom thereof and includes a vertically disposed tubular upright or standard 16, supporting a circular plate 17 which constitutes a support-- ing base forthe greater part of the mechamsm. The numeral 18 indicatesvbearings,

which are formed upon or mounted upon the base plate 17 and these hearings are arranged in pairs and substantially in alignment with the center of each side of the casing, one of the bearings of.each pair being located substantially at the rim of the base plate 17 and the other in spaced relation to the center of the plate.

A shaft 19 is mounted for rotation in each pair of bearings 18 and an indicator hand 14 is fixed upon the outer end of each shaft, the outer ends of the shafts passing thru openings at the centers of circular plates 20, which are mounted within the bounds of the flanges 5. The shaft 21 is 'ournalled for rotation in the standard16 an has fixed to its lower end a worm r 22, which is in mesh with a worm 23 upon the shaft 24 of an electric motor 25,

within the casing upon the bottom thereof, rotary motion being in this manner imparted to the shaft 21 at a slow rate of speed 1 tension of t and at such rateas to efiect movement of the pointers to complete their circles of rotat on for the successive display of the different sagnals, within the time required by the tra c regulations, a bevel gear 23 is fixed upon the upper fixed upon the inner ends of the shafts 19 and the omters carried thereby are rotated at a uni orm rate of speed and in unison with one another.

v The supply of current to the light bulb sockets 11 is governed by a means which will now be described. The numeral 26 indicates conductor wires which are connected to one terminal of the source of current supply and those wires are lead thru the insulation 10 to the bulb sockets in all of the groups of bulbs.

From the other terminal of the source of supply there are led conductor wires 27, each of which is led to the brush of a commutator switch associated with a respective one of the pointer shafts 19, and this switch comprises a circular body 28 of insulating material which is mounted upon each of the plates concentric to the respective shaft 19, and each shaft 19 is therefore rotatable with respect to a respectiveone of the said disks 28. Contact blocks 29 are mounted upon or in the periphery of each disk 28 at equally distantly spaced points in the circumference and a contact point 30 is supported, in the path of movement of the contacts 29, on the end of a resilient finger 31, extending radially from a metal ring 33 mounted upon a sleeve-32 of insulating material, in turn fixedly mounted upon the shaft 19 for rotation therewith. A contact point 33' is mounted in a socket 34 of insulating material, sup orted by an exe base plate 1 and is held in engagement with the ring by a spring 35 arranged in the socket beneath the pin, the conductor. wire 27 being connected to a small stem extending from said contact point.

It will now be understood that the parts are so arran d that when the pointer 14 at one side of t e casing is passing the red si nal panes, the pointer at the opposite si e will be passing the green signal panes, and the panes will be so arranged and ou d that the correct signals will be dis yexii to trafiic approaching the crossing om any direction.

In order that the pointers 14 may be clearly visible in themselves, aside from the light rays illuminating. them in passing through the end of theshaft 21 and pinions 24 are panes 7, 8, and 9, the said pointers are preferably of such material or so constructed as tion at its center with, the shaft 'exten g therethrough, a solid annular portion around said bearing and compartments around said annular portion, panels of different colors, means mounting the panels as front portions of said compartments, a different color for each compartment, a pointer, means mounting said pointer on the end of said shaft movable over the front. of said compartments, lamps in each compartment to the rear of the panels and electrically connected to one terminal of an electric source, an insulator secured to the solid portion of the frame and having the shaft extending therethrough, contacts on the insulator corresponding to the numher of' compartments and each contact connected to the lamps in the corresponding compartment, an insulating member secured to the shaft, a conductor band secured to the insulator member, a brush carried by the support and-engaging the band and electrically connected to the other terminal of the electrical source, and a contacting member carried by the band and engaging with the contact connected to the lamps in the compartment to which the said pointer pointsdur-r ing the rotation of the shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK SHEPHERD. 

